A Tale of Two Conferences I spent last week at two conferences, in some ways so very similar, in others so very different. I started the week at the Association of Colleges Conference in Birmingham, catching up with current and prospective Unloc partners in FE. I spoke to so so many great people but special shout-outs to two college leaders I’ve been working very closely with a for a few years now; Joe Baldwin at Coleg Penybont | Bridgend College and Sarah McGrath at Carlisle College - both super committed to learners having an active part to play in decision making, listening to them, taking action on student priorities, and providing the support and training required to enable to students to lead. Another shout out to Lily-Anne Knobel and Luca Frederick who did a great job of sharing their stories and flying the Unloc flag as young change makers. I finished the week with Global Edge at FOBISIA’s Annual Leadership Conference in Kuala Lumpur, supporting some incredible young people to develop their public speaking skills before they went on stage in front of over 400 school leaders from across South East Asia! Shout out to the students of The Alice Smith School who tracked, and offset, the carbon emissions generated by people’s travel to the conference! Similarities: 🌏 Young people have some of the same priorities all over the world, they care about our planet, they want to develop the skills they need to navigate the world, they feel there are elements of education that just don’t work for them. 🫶 Teachers care more than ever and are super dedicated to their students, despite not always being appreciated. 📣 Whether in the UK or SE Asia, schools and colleges know that they need to do better on student voice and student leadership. Differences: 🍛 Food is better in South East Asia, it just is. (Sorry) 🗣️ The private sector is giving far more attention to students’ wider skills development than the state sector, and this needs to be fixed. 🤝 UK colleges are very good at being part of their local communities and this should be applauded. All in, it’s clear we need to keep speaking up for young people (wherever they are and whatever their backgrounds), providing as much opportunity as possible - there is no upper limit! #Unloc #GlobalEdge #youngpeople #youth #international #colleges #furthereducation

It was wonderful to welcome Geoff Mason, a LSIP Project Lead from North and Western Lancashire Chamber of Commerce onto campus today to meet with Gareth Sutton to discuss our College journey and how we are continuing to align our curriculum with local and regional skills needs through our work with Lancashire LSIP 😊 The meeting also highlighted how strengthening the links between education and business is key to supporting the local economy and creating opportunities for our learners. There are some exciting times ahead as we build on this collaboration and deepen our impact across West Lancashire and beyond. NCG Christian Thersby Wendy Bennett Jane Hines Alex Huskisson #SkillsForTheFuture #FurtherEducation #LSIP #LocalSkills #RegionalGrowth

It was lovely to welcome Louise and Liz from Lancashire County Council onto campus yesterday to meet with Tina, Katie and Diane to discuss all things SEND and curriculum planning 🥰 We are looking forward to collaborating with them further! NCG Christian Thersby Gareth Sutton Wendy Bennett Jane Hines Alex Huskisson

Great to see #TeamKC represented at the recent State of the Area event, where Principal Cat Lewis spoke on Skills and Funding as part of the panel discussion. The event brought together key local stakeholders to explore the future of the Wyre Forest district - with education, collaboration, and investment in skills at the heart of the conversation. Read more via the Kidderminster Shuttle: 👉 https://lnkd.in/ey6gEWrY #TeamKC #NCG #NCGCommunity

Our brilliant Hairdressing colleagues had an incredible day of learning at the L’Oréal Academy in London last Friday. They explored advanced textured hair techniques, gained fresh insights, and elevated their skills to the next level. We’re so proud of them for embracing this opportunity to grow and bring new expertise back to our classrooms and on-campus salon. What stood out most was the focus on inclusive and diverse hair education, ensuring every learner and client feels represented and celebrated. This is such an important step forward for our sector, and we’re excited to embed these values into our teaching. A huge thank you to the amazing guest artists Frazer Wallace and Abigail Butler for sharing their knowledge and inspiring creativity, as well as to L’Oréal for supporting future talent in the industry. We can’t wait to see these techniques and principles in action at Newcastle College! 👉 Are you an employer looking to collaborate with us and shape the future of the hair and beauty industry? Find out how you can work with us: https://orlo.uk/r64E0

This week we were proud to host an invitation-only strategic boardroom with the North East Chamber of Commerce, bringing senior leaders together to explore how business and education can work in partnership to support place-based growth across the region. Chaired by Rachel Anderson, NECC Assistant Director – Policy, the session focused on how organisations can benefit from upcoming regional investment, strengthen innovation, and future-proof their workforce through skills collaboration. Following the discussion, we were pleased to take attendees on a short tour of campus to showcase our facilities and the role further education plays in meeting regional skills needs. A valuable morning of insight, connection and shared ambition for the North East. Jon R. Lisa Hamilton-Murray Erin Newey Michelle Wilcox Gareth Whalley Jen Hallam sonya anderson Lucy Philipson MBA Mark Wolverson MCIOB

Last week we welcomed Kier Group to campus for the launch of their new Workplace Behaviours booklet, a fantastic resource to help our Construction students get industry-ready. Created by Kier, the booklet shines a light on the attitudes and behaviours employers value most, from communication and teamwork to workplace readiness, and compliments the technical skills our students learn on their courses. These skills will make a big difference when stepping into a career. A huge thank you to Terry Hanlon and Lisa Hornby for their ongoing support and commitment to preparing our learners for success across the construction sector and beyond.

Golden Apples Highlight: Congratulations to Simon Bell! 🎉 Simon joined Carlisle College last year after a successful international career in IT, bringing a wealth of industry experience to the classroom. In his first year, he completed his Level 3 Award and began his PGCE, impressing colleagues and learners with his dedication and reflective teaching style. Simon has delivered new curriculum, supported digital bootcamps, and is always on hand to help with technical queries. His commitment to learner success and industry-ready education has earned praise from apprentices and employers alike, with Simon also winning the 'Apprentice Choice - Staff Recognition Award,' at our annual Carlisle College Apprenticeship Awards earlier this year. We’re so proud to have Simon on our team!